Although many people do juice cleansing for weight loss that is not it’s prime purpose. The main aim of  juice cleansing or juice fasting is to cleanse the body of toxins. Weight loss is often a beneficial side effect if you want to shed some extra pounds.

Fasting has been used extensively throughout history for healing disease. Thousands of people all over the world fast regularly not because they want to cure any particular disease but because they consider it an effective way to cleanse the body.

Water fasting was used traditionally by Naturopathic doctors for many years but recent research has shown that water fasting depletes glutathione,  needed by the liver for detox. They also point out that people are too full of toxic chemicals these days for water fasting.

Toxins are stored in fat tissue and when the body starts to break down its own tissue during water fasting, the fat cells release toxins chemicals which could cause symptoms of acute poisoning.

Juice fasting cleanses out toxins

The experience of the European Health Spas, where people go for juice cleansing for weight loss, showed that this could be avoided when juice fasting was properly managed. Freshly prepared juices provide the nutrients and fuel that your liver needs to detox and cleanse your system of the toxins that interfere with the weight control system.

(You might want to read this post:  Is blending fruit & vegetables better than juicing for detox?)

Toxic chemicals cause weight problems

Toxic chemicals that get into your body from the environment and toxic waste products that result from normal cell metabolism interfere with the normal function of the cells.

Certain toxic chemicals in the environment are known as endocrine disruptors or obesogenes. They interfere with normal hormone function and cause weight gain that is hard to shift by regular dieting. They are found in plastics, food packaging, pesticides and some cosmetics.

Researchers have recently discovered that obesity is the biggest cause of breast cancer in women that can be avoided. Many cancers are driven by estrogen and some by testosterone. If you are overweight your level of estrogen could be 50% higher than people of normal weight.

Many toxins can be effectively eliminated with juice cleansing and fat cells can be broken down. The antioxidants and vitamins and minerals in the juices help the liver process them quickly and safely and protect your cells against any damage from them.

If you are juice cleansing for weight loss and are very overweight its better to do several 7 – 10 day juice fasts instead of one longer one. That way you will burn the fat cells at a slower rate and the toxins released more safely.

How to prepare for juice cleansing for weight loss

It’s a good idea to prepare for a juice fast by taking a week or two to gradually cut down on red meat, fatty foods, processed foods, junk foods, sugar, dairy products, tea, ( except green tea), coffee and alcohol. You should increase your intake of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains and pure water.

Then, for 2 – 3 days before the juice fast, eat nothing but raw fruit and vegetables making sure you chew them well.

Use organic produce if you can for your juicing as it is free of pesticide residues and contains the most nutrients. Invest in a slow speed juicer in preference to a centrifugal one if you can as it will help preserve the precious enzymes. Prepare each juice as you need it and drink it immediately.

Use more vegetables than fruit for your juices and add some greens. Green juices are very powerful and can help combat cravings. Drink as many juices as you want. You can drink water and some herbal teas too.

Fresh juices are great energy boosters. As well as vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants they contain a life force that helps with the healing process and is not directly measurable except perhaps by Kirlian photography.

Keep moving

Your body needs fresh air and movement while you are juice fasting to thoroughly cleanse your blood and tissues. Do some brisk walking and practice deep breathing while you do it. Brush your skin all over for 5 – 10 minutes with a natural bristle, long handled brush every morning before you shower.

You detox a lot through the skin so taking frequent showers or hot baths are important to keep the pores open.

Bowel Cleansing

It’s important to do a colon cleanse before you start the juice cleanse. You will not be getting any fiber from the juices so you will need to do enemas daily during the cleansing, take a fibre supplement or gentle herbal laxative to make sure you eliminate the toxins.

Breaking the fast

It’s very important to break the fast properly. The benefits of the fast could all be undone if you rush back to eating large meals.

The main rules are:

1. Eat very slowly and chew your food well.
2. Don’t overeat
3. Take 5 or 6  days to gradually wean yourself on to a healthy diet.

Eating small amounts of raw fruit and vegetables will get your digestive system working efficiently again. Continue to drink some juices.

On the first day you can eat a small piece of juicy fruit. Avoid the temptation to have a variety of fruit. For lunch you could try a green smoothie or a small bowl of salad. Dinner could be some more raw vegetables or vegetable broth. Do the same on the second day.

Over the next few days gradually introduce green leafy vegetables, vegetable soups, steamed vegetables and a little unsaturated fat such as avocados, soaked nuts and seeds. Add a little olive oil and lemon juice for dressing.

Finally introduce some whole grains like rice, and potatoes. If they do not cause any digestive problems then gradually introduce some dairy products and animal protein.

Stay away from sugar and foods containing it,  fatty food, fried food, processed foods and foods with additives.

You should not juice fast if you are very weak, very underweight, are pregnant or nursing or are on life saving medication unless you are being supervised by a knowledgeable health practitioner experienced in fasting.

Your juice fasting for weight loss will be a great experience which will invigorate and rejuvenate you.  Want support from Juicing experts and meal plans all laid out for you?  Try this:

Easy To Do 10 Day Juice Fast.

People often ask what kitchen equipment they really need before going on a detox diet. Here is my top 5 list.  If you don’t have any of them yet it can involve a big outlay so you may need to prioritize and invest in what you feel is the most important for you at the moment.

1. A Good Water Filter

It’s best not to drink tap water if you are on a detox diet or not. Leaving aside the dangers of chlorine and fluoride your tap water is likely polluted with prescription drugs.

As long ago as 2002 scientists from the US geological services discovered microbial and viral contaminants, pharmaceuticals and hormones in tap water due to improved lab techniques.

Hundreds of tests on water supplies in the US & Canada found that standard water treatment did not remove the prescription and non prescription drugs or their by products.

Of course the water companies regard the levels as safe. But the fact is that little is known about the effects on our health of continued exposure to trace levels of numerous different drugs through water.

In the UK three major prescription drugs and one chemotherapy drug has been found in tap water.

It’s known that chlorine can react with organic matter in water and form byproducts such as tirhalomethanes. Various studies have found that these substances can double the risk of certain cancers and cause birth defects.

Jug filters

This is the simplest and cheapest method of purifying water but is not 100% effective. They only remove 85% chlorine and and 70% pesticides.

Plumbed in filters

Plumbed in filters can remove chlorine, toxic heavy metals and pesticides. They are more effective than a jug filters.

Reverse osmosis

This is a much more expensive option but removes minerals, metals, bacteria
and chemical contaminants through carbon filters and a membrane resulting in pure water.

The water tends to be acidic but some companies supply mineralizers to their
systems to add back minerals.

Distilled water

Distilled water is the purest water but home distillers are an expensive option. It is a mistaken belief that drinking pure distilled water leaches minerals from the body. In fact it improves absorption of all nutrients, including minerals, and improves elimination of cellular wastes.

Ionized water

Ionized water is tap water that has been filtered to remove chlorine, heavy metals, parasites, organic hydrocarbons and a long list of other contaminants.The mild electrolysis process produces alkaline and antioxidant water.

The process reduces the size and shape of the water molecule clusters making
it much more hydrating. And as it hydrates your body tissue the makers claim that it pushes out the toxins

Why not drink mineral water?

Surprisingly enough one problem is that the purity regulations are far more lax than those for tap water. Some bottled waters were found to be contaminated with bacteria and contain high levels of arsenic and phthalates.

Most mineral water is stored in plastic bottles which can leach a variety of hazardous chemicals into the water.  If you are going to drink mineral water buy it in glass bottles and look for one with low sodium levels ( less than 10mg sodium per liter) and a near neutral pH of 7.

2 A Vitamix Blender

One of the best investments you can make is a Vitamix. In this one machine you can easily and quickly make smoothies, juices, soups, dressings, nut milks and butters and bean pates like humus.

You eat the whole food when you blend fruit and vegetables in a Vitamix. The powerful blender ruptures the cell walls of the produce to release the full benefit of nutrients. The fiber is retained too which helps with bowel cleansing.

You can make juices in a Vitamix by blending the fruit and/or vegetables with extra water and straining through a nut bag or other fine strainer.

3. Juicer

Although you can make juices with the Vitamix a juicer is useful to have if you are going to make a lot of juices or do a juice fast. If you are very sick you may need to take a lot of juices.

Juices need no digestion. The nutrients are absorbed straight into your body. They are ideal if you have digestion problems and need to heal before you can absorb nutrients from whole foods. A juice fast can give your digestive system a rest.

A masticating type juicer is considered better than a centrifugal juicer as the latter destroys the enzymes due to the faster speed and heat generated.

The Champion juicer has been around a long time and is one of the most popular juicers out there. I have used one myself for years and it has served me well but there are some newer ones on the market.

Twin gear juicers such as the Green Star models are the most efficient type of juicer available and can extract higher yields of juice from fruits,  vegetables,  wheatgrass ( which the Champion can’t) , green leaves and herbs. The pulp that comes out of twin gear juicers is the driest of all the types of juicers but they can be difficult to clean.

4.  Non Toxic Cookware

Many people try to follow a healthier diet but have ignored the fact that are using toxic cookware. It doesn’t make any sense to prepare healthy food for detox and cook it in toxic non stick or aluminum pans?

Aluminum pans release the metal into food if it is salty or acidic. Dietary sources of aluminum include cookware, containers, foil, and utensils. The metal is toxic in the body and is associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Stainless steel pans have always been considered safe but they contain nickel which some people are sensitive or allergic to.

Non Stick Pans

In tests commissioned by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), in 2 – 5 minutes on a conventional stovetop, cookware coated with Teflon and other non-stick surfaces can exceed temperatures at which the coating breaks apart and emits toxic particles and gases linked to hundreds of pet bird deaths and an unknown number of human illnesses each year.

For years DuPont has claimed that their Teflon coatings do not emit hazardous chemicals through normal use.One of the chemicals used in the manufacture of Teflon is perflurooctanoic acid (PFOA) This chemical has led to cancer and birth defects in lab animals, and may have led to birth defects in DuPont plant workers.

Studies have revealed that 95% of all men, women and children in the United States have traces of PFOA in their blood. A recently published study stated that high levels of PFOA were strongly correlated with an increase in both total cholesterol and LDL “bad” cholesterol.

DuPont have have recently announced that they have plans to phase out PFOA’s from their cookware by 2015.

Sandwich toasters, griddles and other popular cooking devices such as George Foreman Grills are coated with Teflon.

Swiss Diamond, claim their pans are made of diamonds and contained no Teflon use the chemical PTFE which is the same thing as Teflon.

Ceramic cookware

If you use ceramic cookware like crockpots or slow cookers you may not be aware that some of the glazes used contain lead, cadmium and pigments which may get into your food. Lead and cadmium are toxic metals that you do not want in your body. Look for pots without the lead glaze.

Enameled Cast Iron

Back in the 1970s, there was a problem with enamel cookware due to cadmium in their glazes.  Cadmium is very toxic. Importation of foreign ceramic was prohibited at the time and today’s manufacturers no longer use pigments with cadmium in them, so they are now considered safe.

Which pans should you use?

Safepan Eco Nonstick Cookware is the first EPA and FDA approved pan, having passed their consumer product safety tests. Developed in Australia, the Safepan is a pet-safe, PTFE free and PFOA free pan.

Greenpan is another nonstick pan that is coated with Thermolon. The company claim the pans are safe and they do not use any chemicals that can be classed as toxic or persistent pollutants. No particles can migrate into food that is being cooked in the pan.

Lead free ceramic or glass cookware is safe and will not react with food.

5. Non Toxic Food Storage Containers

Once you have gone to the trouble of preparing healthy food, storing it safely is important too.  Several research studies have found that when plastic comes in contact with certain foods, molecules of the chemicals in the plastic can leach into the food or beverage.

Of most concern to your health are the types of plastic with the recycling numbers #3 PVC,  #6 Polystyrene and #7 Polycarbonate. Polycarbonate has been shown to leach Bisphenol A (BPA), which can disrupt hormones.  It’s best not to use any plastic containers or cling wrap for your food.

Look for glass, lead free ceramic, or stainless steel containers and cellulose bags and wrapping paper.

This might seem like a big investment but you won’t just be using this kitchen equipment for a detox diet. They will be invaluable to continue your healthy eating plan.

You have probably seen recipes for detox diets that say add a spoonful of green superfood to your juice or green smoothie.  So what exactly are green superfoods and why should you use them?

You know that greens are good for you. Experts have been telling us that for years. Green leafy vegetables are full of  vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, those natural plant chemicals that are needed for good health. Green superfoods are another breed of green vegetable that are even better for you.

These green giants are made from algae and cereal grasses like barley grass, chlorella, spirulina, blue-green algae, wheat grass, and alfalfa. They are simply chock full of energy boosting and health giving nutrients – vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids, antioxidants, fiber, protein, nucleic acids ( they direct cellular renewal, growth, and repair) and more.

In some cases green superfoods are used to treat various types of health conditions. They contain high levels of organic chlorophyll which is a potent blood and tissue cleanser and is essential for any detox program.  Their nutrients help repair and regenerate cells and tissue.

Because they contain such high amounts of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants the juice can be used to help correct imbalances in the diet, especially for people who do not eat properly. ( I am not saying that you can substitute them for a bad diet!). A number of green superfoods are often blended together in one supplement and sold in health food stores.

Barley Grass

Barley grass refers to the young green shoots that form before the grain. When they are about 12-14 inches high, they contain, as well as chlorophyll, all the vitamins, minerals, and amino acids needed for the human diet.

Barley grass juice is loaded with enzymes that enable it to be digested and absorbed very easily. Researchers show that it can neutralize free radicals and toxic chemicals, including pesticides.

Green Barley powder has been shown to help protect cells against damage by toxins. For this reason It is especially useful in the intestines. It can counteract the effects of intestinal poisons.

You will find it in supplements as dried grass or dried juice powder. Humans can’t digest the grass but new technology has resulted in the production of microfine whole food powder which is reputed to be absorbed by the body.

Alfalfa

Alfalfa is often referred to as an herb but it is really a legume that belongs to the pea family. It is grown to feed livestock. but its leaves, sprouts, and seeds have been used for thousands of years to make medicines.

The roots of the plant are capable of going down twenty to thirty feet into the ground so it is rich in nutrients that are way down in the subsoil and not available on the surface.

It can be found as seeds, sprouts, powder and tablets. Sprouting alfalfa seed can increase the vitamin, mineral and antioxidant content considerably. It contains saponins that may help reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol.

Top your detox salad with a handful of alfalfa sprouts. Or, grind up the seeds in a spice grinder and add to salads. Add some sprouts to your detox juices.

Spirulina

Spirulina is a blue-green algae, a microscopic plant, that grows in both fresh and sea water. It is considered to be one of nature’s most complete foods and thought to contain every nutrient required by the human body.

It has a high protein content and, unusually for a plant, contains all eight essential amino acids in the right ratio. The liver uses certain amino acids during Phase II detox.

Like other green superfoods Spirulina helps to maintain a healthy pH balance. It creates an environment in the body that encourages detox and weight loss.  By supplying the body with a powerhouse of nutrients it needs it can reduce cravings that you might get on a detox diet. But you have to take enough of it. A couple of tablets is not going to do it. It is a food and you need to take it in gram doses. Take a handful of tablets.  Don’t worry if your stools turn green.

Spirulina is good for intestinal health too. It supports the “friendly” bacteria in your digestive tract that help strengthen your immune system and help detox. Spirulina can help to remove aluminum, carbon tetrachloride, and other toxins from the body

Chlorella

Well I could almost repeat everything I have said about spirulina here. Chlorella is lower in protein but has more chlorophyll which makes it just that much better for cleansing. If your bowels are a bit sluggish then taking Chlorella can help when you are on a detox diet.

If you have a very sensitive bowel or bowel disease like Crohn’s chlorella could give you diarrhea. It would be better to start with spirulina to see how you tolerate it and add chlorella only very gradually and slowly one you tolerate spirulina.

Chlorella is particularly good for heavy metal detox. You can read more about that in a previous post:

How to Detox with Chlorella

If your stools don’t go green when you are taking chlorella you are not taking enough.

Wheat Grass Juice

Ann Wigmore was perhaps the best known proponent of wheat grass juice. She apparently used it every day for over 30 years. She believed that whatever you had wrong with you wheat grass juice would very likely help you where medicines had not.

Ann found that the active compounds in grass juices cleanse the blood and neutralize toxins. According to her just 140g of fresh wheat grass has the same nutritional value as over 3kg of fresh green vegetables! And just one teaspoon of Wheat Grass powder is nutritionally equal to 50 grams of spinach.

Although I don’t know of any research on the effect of wheat grass on the liver it’s believed that it does stimulate liver detox function. Many people testify to the fact that they  suffered nausea when they tried the juice for the first time. This is seen as a detox reaction.

You can grow your own wheat grass at home or get trays of it delivered but you have to have a special juicer or an attachment to juice it. It’s more convenient to buy it as powder or tablets but you won’t get the benefits of the enzymes that are present in the fresh juice.

Enzymes are considered to be the key factor in preventing chronic disease. Decreased enzyme levels are found in a number of chronic ailments and even diseases like diabetes and cancer. Companies that freeze dry the juice claim that the enzymes remain in the finished product.

Also, we know that decreased enzyme levels are found in a number of chronic ailments, such as allergies, skin disease, and even serious diseases like diabetes and cancer.

Green Superfood Supplements

Some green superfood products may contain a whole host of other ingredients as well.  Some have added vegetable and fruit extracts to make them even more nutritious and better tasting. There are hundreds of them on the market and vary considerably in price. My advice is to look for ones that have been organically grown in unpolluted environments.

A good one is Vitamineral™ Green, formulated by Naturopath & Herbal Medicine researcher Jameth Sheridan.

Try adding 1 or 2 teaspoons of a green superfood to your next detox juice or smoothie for a boost of energy and a bucket load of nutrients.

This is a guest post by John McIntyre.

Detox juicing is an amazing thing to do. It is all about looking after your body and making the most of life. You see, when you have your health, you have hope. And when you have hope, you have everything.

If you’re not sure of whether to try detox juicing, check out these 10 reasons why you need to start today:

1. Give your body what it needs.

The human body NEEDS the vitamins and minerals inside fresh fruits and vegetables to survive. We evolved on a diet of mainly plants and as such, we depend on them still. However, sometimes it’s hard to get all the nutrients we need, and this is why juicing is so great.

In one glass, you can have 6 carrots, 3 apples, and chunk of ginger (I had one of these for breakfast!). In another, beetroot, celery, grapefruit, lemon, ginger, cayenne pepper and turmeric (I call it the liver cleanser). In another, a whole bunch of different fruits and vegetables. You get the idea.

You’re grabbing the amazing nutrients from a whole array of different stuff and cramming it  into a glass, making for a potent and powerful health elixir.

2. Enhance your mood.

Fruits and vegetables are a source of serotonin, which is essentially one of the brain’s “feel good” chemicals. If you don’t get enough fruits and vegetables in your diet, you might be depressed and wake up feeling like there’s no reason to get out of bed.

Juicing changes this. And when you use it to detox, you get rid of the nasty stuff that gets you down and replace it with things that make you feel on top of the world.

3. Eliminate toxins.

When you detox with juicing, your bowels, liver and kidney will be stimulated and will eliminate waste and toxins so much more efficiently. Juicing literally speeds up the body’s own detoxification process.

4. Reduce acidity.

The diet that most people eat in the West is overloaded with acidic foods. Most things, such as coffee, tea, and alcohol are acidic and are terrible for our body. They create a buildup of acid which doesn’t feel too good at all. Sickness and inflammation result.

The good thing is that most fruits and vegetables are alkaline (the opposite of acidic) and hence will relieve symptoms of a buildup of acid in the body.

5. Drink more, eat less.

Juicing suppresses the appetite, so you won’t feel like eating much after a fresh juice. Also, fresh produce contains very little calories, meaning you can eat as much as you want and you’ll never put on weight.

6. Cheap and easy.

Most of the nutritionally bankrupt food you find in supermarkets is more expensive that fresh fruits and vegetables. And when you think about how many more nutrients are in an apple than in a biscuit, there really is no competition whatsoever.

Detox juicing will make you feel amazing and at the end of the day it will cost less than what you spent before.

7. You’ll feel like a million dollars.

Many people report overwhelming feelings of wellbeing, health, positivity, and so on. Juicing has the power to make you feel amazing.

8. Prevent cancer.

It has been known for a while now that fresh produce is loaded with antioxidants. These little superheroes charge around the body in search of free radicals. Free radicals cause aging, sickness and sometimes cancer, but are eliminated by a healthy stream of antioxidants in detox juicing.

9. Boost your energy.

When your body has the right nutrients inside it, you will have so much more energy than you are used to. You’ll get more things done and you’ll start living your life to the fullest!

About the author: John writes for Healthy Juicing, a site where you can discover the benefits of juicing and taste amazing juicing recipes.

Guest Post

Cleansing and detoxing may be a current trending topic, but it’s not a new idea. Not to your body anyway. Every day the body cleans itself by using the colon, liver and kidneys, lymphatic system, skin, and lungs to detoxify. On the cellular level, regeneration is alway occurring.

If our body is detoxing on an ongoing basis, then why do we experience sluggishness? Just as you might get tired and overworked from your 9-5 job, your body also suffers, and when it doesn’t get proper nutrients, the situation worsens. Sometimes we need to cleanse through diet to give the natural process a boost. One of the best and easiest ways to do this is through juicing.

There are a number of benefits to physical, mental, and spiritual health by drinking fresh juice daily. A juice cleanse works efficiently well at detoxing and also helps reset the body systems on the cellular and metabolic level. In this way, the entire body benefits. Here are some of the benefits:

1. Juicing speeds up and enhances the release of harmful toxins in the colon. No fiber remains in juice that has been extracted. The nutrients are simply absorbed into the bloodstream. Without much for the colon to digest, it sets to work on getting rid of stored up toxins in the digestive tract.

2. With a recharged bloodstream, metabolism becomes recharged and begins operating at an optimum level giving you more energy.

3. Vegetables contain antioxidants, beta-carotene, and essential fatty acids which aid the liver in breaking down fats, balance glucose levels, and filter the blood. We often talk about cleansing the colon, but assisting the liver may be one of the most important aspects and benefits of juice cleansing.

4. Often people experience a flatter stomach and weight loss. Though limited calorie intake and flushing of excess liquids is the main reason, weight loss can be continued by maintaining a healthful diet including raw foods and a periodic juice cleanse.

5. Noticeable improvement in conditions that are chronic. Toxins cause many problems in the body such as chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, and constipation. With these eliminated, these problems may improve greatly.

6. Better sleep. Our bodies can hold stress, not just our emotional states. Stress can exacerbate sleeping problems. A fully functioning body system releases stress to help provide you with a good night’s sleep.

Though capable of detoxifying itself, the body can be assisted through a juice cleanse. The process works at the microscopic levels, but you’ll experience optimized health in physical and mental ways.

Research has shown Chlorella to be extraordinarily effective in helping to eliminate toxins, heavy metals, and radiation from the body. Nadia, Brydon, Medical Herbalist and Raw Food Educator uses Chlorella extensively in her work.  In this interview she shares a wealth of information about how to detox with chlorella.

Q1 You recently gave a talk about Chlorella. Can you tell us how you came to be so interested in it?

I first began to learn the importance of all green foods when studying in the USA at the Hippocrates Institute about 8 years ago.  The Institute in their wisdom always puts every single patient on Chlorella because it’s the ultimate green food.

It has incredible detoxifying, micronutrient, immune boosting and healing qualities and I saw at the Institute firsthand how for hundreds of people it just seemed to not only give incredible energy but was a real miracle food, healing so many people.

It seemed to balance every organ particularly the digestive system and the bowels and helped people with all sorts of serious conditions, such as skin and joint diseases, people with cancers of all sorts as well as all digestive problems.  In fact everything!  It’s the greatest  healer and detoxifier of all foods on the planet.  No question.  From that day to this I have hardly missed a day without taking my Chlorella and it keeps me really healthy.

Q2. I know that you recovered from chronic ill health with complementary medicine.  How big a part did Chlorella play in your recovery?

Gosh that was over 25 years ago! At that time I was put on Chlorella as part of the protocol by my complementary practitioner but in those days I had no idea of the importance.  I just did as I was advised and got better without actually realising at the time how big a part Chlorella played.

I spent many years after my recovery training to be a complementary practitioner in many disciplines such as Acupuncture and Western and Chinese Herbal Medicine but it was only when I went to the Hippocrates Institute 8 years ago that I fully realised how instrumental to my healing
the Chlorella had been.  Since then I put every single one of my patients on Chlorella with FANTASTIC results.

Q3. You say that the latest research shows that chlorella is extraordinarily effective for eliminating heavy metals, dioxins, pesticides and radiation from the body. Can you tell us a bit more about why it’s important to eliminate dioxins?

Toxins create free radicals which cause disease and speeds up the aging process.  Also toxins affect the DNA and the body’s ability to not only remain healthy and regenerate but toxins play a part in many diseases as well as blocking the uptake of micro nutrients that our body needs for health.

Exciting studies have shown that if pregnant and breast feeding women take Chlorella it reduces the amount of toxins that are in the mother  from reaching the baby either through the placenta or the breast milk.  This is extraordinary as this gives a baby the very best start in life protecting it
from all manner of environmental poisons especially as a baby’s immune system is still forming and babies need as much protection as we can give them.

Heavy metals are also implicated in diseases particularly of the nervous system so it is very important to eliminate as many toxins as possible.  Also we are bombarded on a daily basis by cancer causing radiation from mobile phones and flying to cancer treatments and Chlorella has been shown to be extremely protective for our bodies.

Q4. What is the best way to eliminate dioxins and pesticides with chlorella?

Chlorella should be started initially in small doses for the first three days.  Personally I like to use the Sun Chlorella brand and with this brand you start off with 5 tablets a day and after 3 days you take 10 tablets, then after another 3 days 15 tablets and so on depending on the reasons for
taking it.

If you are taking chlorella for maintenance then 15 tablets a day is ideal however, if you are trying to detoxify from heavy metals then you need to take substantially higher doses for a short period of time and then drop back to the 15 a day maintenance when it has done its job.  It is best to see a nutritionist who can help determine the doses needed for individuals who need guidance on high doses, however being a food it is extremely safe in large doses.

Q5.When you say it can help with radiation do you mean you can use it if someone has to have radiation therapy for cancer?

Yes.  It helps protect the rest of the body from the negative and side effects of radiation.   One particular side effect of radiotherapy treatment is extremely low energy and Chlorella can really help to keep energy reserves up possibly because it is so rich in natural micro nutrients.

It is very tiring having radiotherapy every single day and even the journey each day can be too tiring for some so Chlorella just gives that extra boost to get through the treatment.  The best thing about Chlorella is that it is a vegetable rich in micronutrients so is simply a food rather than a supplement.

Q6 Would you use it during radiation or afterwards and how long for?

I suggest people take it before, during and after radiotherapy.  When taken before it helps to build the strength up, during it helps to maintain strength and helps support the body against side effects and it’s wonderful for the recovery process.  Chlorella is always best used for at least 3 months if not 6 months for even better results.

Essentially Chlorella is a store house of micro nutrients such as Beta Carotene, Iron, Folic Acid, Vitamin D, B12, Vitamin E, C, B1, B2, B6, Niacin, Biotin, Pathothenic acid, fatty acids, Nucleic and amino acids and helps particularly when part of a healthy diet rich in fresh foods especially
vegetables.

Chlorella is simply a dried fresh water vegetable itself and is so safe and gentle and helps to ensure against deficiency in these micro nutrients in the diet and helps the body heal itself.

Another interesting fact about Chlorella is that it contains a unique benefit called CHLORELLA GROWTH FACTOR also known as CGF.  This is a combination of amino acids and nucleic acids that has been found to regenerate healthy cells at the DNA level.

With this in mind I am very keen to help people going through treatment to grow healthy tissue and cells.  This is another reason why I believe that Chlorella is essential before, during and following Radio Therapy.

Q7.There are many products on the market that help detoxify mercury. Where would you rate chlorella among them and is there any brand that you would particularly recommend?

I firmly believe that Chlorella is the number one detoxifier of mercury. So much research over the years has shown the amazing ability of this plant to bind to mercury and take it out of the body.  Of all the brands I have no hesitation in  recommending Sun Chlorella.  ( USA Sun Chlorella). It has been the number one Chlorella company in Japan for 40 years and that really says a lot to me.

There are 35 major Chlorella companies in Japan and Sun Chlorella has remained in pole position all these years and if the Japanese rate it that highly, so will I!.  In all its 40 years Sun Chlorella has never once had a quality control issue because they are so stringent with the product control
from growing it, to the harvesting, drying, packing combined with how much time and money they reinvest back into research.  This speaks volumes to me.

Also they pioneered a unique process that pulverises the cell wall so that the 60% of the Chlorella is absorbed within the first hour compared to 25% of some other Chlorella’s.  This pulverising process does not use chemicals or heat but simply puts the plant cells under immense pressure pulverising it without losing any potency at all so the Chlorella is not changed
and retains its full micronutrient content..

Also Sun Chlorella grows the Chlorella in pristine wilderness only in virgin mountain water that has been extracted from acquafers deep underground.  And they grow it naturally outside in the sun shine whereas some other chorella companies use poly tunnels and to my mind this surely affects the potency and the micro nutrient content.

But the best test of all is that I get so many people and patients saying to me that they tried other Chlorella’s and nothing changed but when they used Sun Chlorella they really noticed the difference.  And as a practitioner I really want results with my patients and I am always sure of getting it with Sun Chlorella.

Q7. What sort of side effects are you likely to get and is there anything you can do to prevent them.

Because Sun Chlorella is able to detoxify so efficiently if one takes too many tablets to start with then the detoxification process might be too rapid which might cause detoxifying reactions such as a few spots so in order to minimise this it is recommended to start taking just 5 a day for  the
first 3 days to allow the body to acclimatise to having the increased micronutrients and detoxification process begin.

After three days on 5 tablets increase to 10 tablets for the same reason and then after another 3 days to increase to 15 tablets a day.  One can go on doing this up to about 40 tablets a day or even more if needed.  They can be taken all at once or in split doses throughout the day.

The best time of day to start is before breakfast as Chlorella helps to balance blood sugar levels right at the start of the day and gives great energy to begin the day.  It is low calorie, and protein rich and is the best way to start the day.  They can be taken with water, chewed or added to smoothies.  It is very easy to blend them as they easily crumble into juices or smoothies.

They can easily be powdered too between 2 spoons or crushed between paper ie grease proof paper.

Q8. Bowel cleansing is an important subject. How would you recommend using chlorella for bowel cleansing?

Bowel cleansing regimes are many and varied but a gentle way to really help cleanse and clean and move the bowels on a daily basis is to add the Sun Chlorella tablets to a smoothie.  Here are two lovely bowel cleansing smoothie recipes: I would definitely recommend having either of these
smoothies before breakfast or as breakfast each and every day.  Absolutely great for bowel cleansing and keeping the bowels healthy as well as giving great energy for each day.

Gorgeous Savoury Green Smoothie

Pure rocket fuel!  Will keep you bouncing all day and feeling squeaky clean inside and out!

Serving: 1-2

In a blender or smoothie maker add 1-2 cups of spring water then:

½ Chopped cucumber (with skin and pips)
¼ to ½ Avocado (without skin!)
1 clove of garlic (optional)
8 fresh basil leaves
2 sprigs of parsley
Juice from ½ lemon or lime
¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt
Fresh ground black pepper
15 tablets of Sun Chlorella “A”

Blend until smooth

You can experiment with other chlorophyll rich fresh greens such as sprouts (alfalfa, mung bean) young corgettes, celery, spinach, fresh coriander etc.

Sun Chlorella Smoothie

(creamy and delicious full of Vitamins and minerals especially vitamin C, omega 3, B12, folic acid, potassium, calcium and magnesium)

Serving: 1-2

15 tablets of Sun Chlorella “A”
½ cup of spring water
½ banana (peeled)
½ avocado (peeled)
½ apple (with skin)
1 kiwi (peeled)
a touch of raspberry or strawberry

Chop all ingredients into small pieces and put them in the blender and blend until smooth!
Pour into a glass and decorate with raspberry or strawberry and fresh sprig of mint.
Serve cold.  Drink as is or eat with spoon

Q9.There are some people who don’t tolerate Chlorella well because of an enzyme problem. Is there anything they can do to overcome this?

For anyone who has an enzyme problem then taking vegetable based digestive enzymes would be the answer.  Also taking the Sun Chlorella in a smoothie which is rich in digestive enzymes would help to the toleration factor.

Q10. You are the Senior Therapist at Breast Cancer Haven in London. Can you tell us a bit about your work there and how chlorella fits in?

I have worked at Breast Cancer Haven which is based in Fulham Broadway for 9 years.  I joined one year after BCH first opened.  I am absolutely dedicated to my job there where we support women (and men as they can get breast cancer too) who are going through or who have had breast cancer at any time in their lives.

We offer counseling, nutrition advice, complementary therapies such as Reflexology, Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Homeopathy etc as well as a comprehensive programme of classes, workshops and seminars.  We provide a free one day workshop where we show relaxation techniques, teach about nutrition and environmental factors as well as stress management and meditation.

Prince Charles is our Patron and is very supportive of our work.  The Countess of Wessex is also involved taking an active role in our work.  My own particular role includes see the ladies for their first consultation where we discuss their particular needs and concerns and putting together a programme of therapies that addresses their individual requirements.

I personally give treatments as well such as Acupuncture, Manual Lymph Drainage Massage, Aromatherapy, sometimes group ear Acupuncture as well as running workshops showing people how to make juices and smoothies.

Many of the classes, workshops and seminars, such as my juicing class is open to all members of the public.  With regards to Chlorella I show people how to include Chlorella in their diet, in juices and smoothies in my classes as well as talking to people on an individual level about the benefits.

Thank you Nadia you have given us a wealth on information about how to deox with Chlorella.

Home Spa Detox

Don’t you sometimes feel that you would like to spend a weekend relaxing and indulging yourself  at a health spa? In these busy days of trying to balance work, family and social commitments it’s often hard to find time for ourselves. Some “me time” is important to counteract the stresses of today’s hectic lifestyle.  But the high cost of a health spa can often make it impossible. So let’s look at how you can have a 2 day home spa detox.

Set aside a weekend or 2 days when you have no commitments. If you have children try to get a grandparent or friend to have them for the weekend. The most important thing about the weekend is that you feel relaxed and not guilty about spending time on yourself.

Get yourself organized before the weekend with everything you will need for the 2 day home spa detox. If your diet is full of processed or junk food you should try to cut down on them during the 2 weeks before you start the weekend detox. Reduce regular tea, coffee, soft drinks and alcohol. Try to find ways of getting more fruit and vegetables into your diet. Eat more fruit instead of high fat and sugar snacks. Drink more pure water.

If you have never done Yoga before you can get a free 5 day e-course here. Yoga Tutor

Your home spa detox is going to consist of:

• Fresh fruit and vegetable juices

• Salads

• Vegetable Soups

• Water & herb or green tea

• Moor Mud bath and detox drink.

• Skin Brushing

• Relaxation (get out your favorite relaxation tapes or CD’s)

• Deep breathing

• Stretching exercises or Yoga

• Massage (either book one or get a partner or friend to give you a relaxing massage)

• Walking

• Swimming, if you can find a non-chemical pool

You will start the 2 day detox on Friday evening and have a one day juice fast on Saturday and eat raw fruit, raw and cooked vegetables and vegetable soup on Sunday. The detox includes 1 or 2 Moor Mud baths with a Moor Mud detox drink.

Moor Mud Bath & Mud Detox Drink

Mud treatments have been used for thousands of years for healing many different ailments. They are popular through out Europe and are making a big comeback in various parts of the world. One of the most famous muds comes from Neydharting Moor in Austria. The Moor Mud  known for it’s healing powers was analyzed and found to contain many valuable organic minerals, vitamins, amino acids, plant hormones and fatty acids.

A mud detox drink does not sound very nice but I can assure you that it does not taste or smell bad. You  just mix 1 teaspoonful into a glass of water or juice if you prefer. Drink it about 30 minutes before the bath.

Before the bath get your bathroom warm and have several large warm towels ready.  Run a warm to hot (but not too hot) bath and mix in the mud well, following the instructions on the container.

Relax in the bath for 20 minutes. When you get out pat yourself dry leaving as much of the mud on as possible.  The effect of the hot bath, increased circulation and mud will help you sweat out toxins. Relax for another 30 – 60 minutes  before showering off. Have an early night.

Do not have a hot bath if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, heart problems or serious circulatory disorders or are prone to fainting unless you have consulted your doctor.

Here is your 2 day detox plan:

Friday evening meal:

6.30 – 7 pm Make a large salad. You can include cooked vegetables as well as raw. Eat it slowly and chew it well. Drink filtered or good bottled water or herb teas during the evening.

8.30 – 9 pm

Moor Mud Detox Drink & Bath.

Saturday

8 am 8 oz glass of warm water with the juice of 1/2 a lemon.
8.30 am Skin Brushing followed by contrast shower
9 am 8 oz Fresh fruit juice
10 am Stretching exercises or Yoga
10.30 am Water or herb or green tea
11 am 8 oz Fresh vegetable juice
12 pm Water or herb or green tea.
1 pm 8 oz Fresh vegetable juice
2 pm Water or herb tea or green tea
2.30 pm Massage time or go for a brisk walk/ swimming
3 pm 8 oz Fresh fruit juice
3.30 pm Relaxation with CD or tapes.
4 pm Water or herb tea .
5 pm 8 oz Fresh fruit juice
6 pm Water or herb tea
7 pm 8 oz Fresh vegetable juice
9 pm Moor Mud Detox Drink & bath.
10 pm Get an early night.

Sunday

8 am 8 oz water with the juice of 1/2 lemon
8.30 am Skin brushing followed by contrast shower
9 am Fresh fruit breakfast
9.30 am Water or herb or green tea
10 am Stretching exercises or Yoga
10.30 am Snack of fresh fruit and a few almonds
11 am Go for a brisk walk or swimming
11.30 am Water or herb or green tea
12.30 or 1 pm Lunch – large raw and cooked vegetable salad or vegetable soup
3 pm Relaxation exercises and deep breathing.
4 pm Snack of fresh fruit and a few almonds
4.30 pm Water or herb tea
5 pm Cup of fresh vegetable soup
7 pm Meal of vegetables and rice
10 pm Get an early night

Juice recipes

Melon Juice makes a great start to the day.

Water Melon Juice

Watermelon juice is an excellent cleansing drink .  Include some of the green part just under the rind as well as some seeds together with the pink flesh. You can also juice a small (2 inch or 3 cm square)  piece of the rind.  Only include seeds and rind if the fruit is organic.

Here is a green juice recipe for you to try:

Ingredients:

1 whole cucumber
4 sticks of celery
2-4 handfuls of spinach
8 lettuce leaves
Any other green leaves

Wash everything well and put through juicer. Add half an apple or a carrot if you find the taste too strong.

Detox Plan

Alter the times of the plan to suit yourself and change the times you go for walks and do the relaxation. If you want to reduce the costs or can’t get Moor Mud you can have an Epsom Salt bath instead.

Try to switch off from the outside world and concentrate on yourself for a change.  Ask a friend to join you. By the end of the weekend you should be feeling much more relaxed and ready to tackle the week ahead. Try to make this home spa detox a regular part of your life.

Detoxification seems to be all the rage these days. As well it should be at – especially at a time when even newborns are found to be born with hundreds of known poisons already in their bloodstream. It’s a shame, and it’s important to know that a lot of problems related to having a toxic body can be completely avoided by detoxifying your body deeply. Deep detoxification is a process, and it doesn’t happen in just a week or two. But, if you’re interested in cleansing your body, there is no time like the present to start, and below are three easy techniques to get started with.

Colon Cleansing
Are you aware that most people have more than ten pounds of old, uneliminated fecal matter inside them? It’s a lot of filth, that filth can easily be removed by cleansing your colon. Colon cleansing is often done with enemas or professional colonics, and these are the most thorough methods. Often, however, colon cleansing often needs to be done repeatedly to achieve the desired detoxification results. And, it’s important that you always replenish your healthy bacteria with probiotics after doing any colon cleansing.

Fasting on Juices
Juice fasting involves drinking plenty of fresh squeezed fruit and vegetable juices and forgoing solid food for a period of time. Juice fasting a powerful way for the body to detoxify itself, because when the body isn’t digesting foods, it uses that energy to detoxify itself. Juice fasting is also an easy way to lose weight quickly, if you have weight to lose, and the juice fasting weight loss connection is far more than what one might think.

Most people attribute the rapid weight loss with juice fasting to the fact that solid foods aren’t consumed for a period of time. This is true, but the other reason that juice fasting is an easy way to lose weight quickly is because juice fasting detoxifies the body – and it detoxifies our prime fat burning organ. In doing so, juice fasting cleanses the body’s prime fat burning organ – the liver. And this means our prime fat burning organ will work more efficiently for us, and have more resources to burn fat.

Skin Brushing
Dry skin brushing is a simple technique that involves firming brushing the skin with a dry brush in a motion that is always toward the heart. This removes old, dead skin, allowing your skin to breathe freely as it’s designed to. This, in turn, allows toxins to leave your body through your skin easily. Did you know that your body is supposed to be eliminating two pounds of toxins each day – just from your skin. Dry skin brushing also stimulates your lymphatic system which helps detoxify you too.